Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by townsend on February 20, 2004 at 12:54:09

I searched quickly but may have missed it--any discussion on this board about the indie movie "Touching the Void?" It is showing in select art house theaters across the nation, & it opened at the Magnolia on 2/13/04. (audiophilander--who lives in the area--is this up your alley?)

It's a "docudrama" of the 1985 ill-fated climbing expedition of two British mountaineers (Joe Simpson and Simon Yates) who attempted to climb Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes by "alpine-style climbing."

It's well done, and the photography of the mountain covered in snow and ice is beautiful. The movie consists of interviews with the survivors as well as dramatic recreation of the climb.

Shackleton's Arctic Adventure--finally out on DVD in a decent version (don't buy the chopped up IMAX one) is truly the greatest survival story of all-time (I recognize that by "truly", I am inviting correction from all corners). Joe Simpson's story is one of the great survival stories of an individual. Incredible.

regards, townsend